Internal-combustion engine.



H. H. RICARDO.

INTERNAL CUMBUSHON ENGINE. APPLlCATl-ON FUD AUG. l5. 19|!- 14,296,556 Patented Mur. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETSv-SHEET ll H. R. RICARDO.

INTERNAL COMBUSIIDN ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED ALIG-I5. |911. 1,296,556. Patented Mm. 4,1919

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

f" g@ @Mmm MW. ya!

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY RALPH RICABDG, F LQNDUN, ENGLANE).

INTERN iL-CJIBUSTGN ENGINE,

This` inwiitirm whim* if; tuti-mini umiibiwthm i xigim:- mrn'v twlnwiitiy thimI of thiI (,'umlimind typo. that im* tu ,-iif in whii'h the i'xlailiiimi nt wich ixphww vhzug@ i3 mi timt uilt ill twin singels um.. i tu itihitv th(` tfhrfli'gtin thi` high p1`lsslii'cit3t-- intiem with :in hier! with u View to ii-(iiiniiiy.

cvm'itinff tu thi hivvntmi mme ot thv` vxhriiist [n'mhivts It vomhiwtimi, ih'iiwn (-011- Yvniiitiy t'x'unl the iOw pi'v:-x.-li1v lvi'tiliihl', urn mmh'tt :mit thun zuhhtt t0 the mitin vital-gv which is itihitwt thm-vhs'. It'y is thvn pnswihh tn modify thv ffiiihlili'tinii*Uf the pump which cttw-ts thv iiiiilimimuy Cmnpi' si iii Ut' thv` hit-ghi 3mi-t Ut' thv 11min charge so that it is not hd upon to rh) so mtu-h with iii thv pi. im ut' gus mi in thcmmiprvsiuh thviw Th(x vxhniwt println-tf; thliH iifs'i'il muy ii i'imtml in vitriolis ways nml either hipt mirate from this 11min [m1-t ot tht` ('hxigri iiiitit th@ hitter is in thv i'jilinihl, thi` vimini wxhnust iii'mtiictS in that um heilig' mhiiittmt tiim't ihm thel high p11-sum1x i'ylimhi'. ni :iftvr prvlixnhiiiiw' rooting thwi-` vxhnlist println-ts muy hv utlowlit to mingtv with thix wiiain'osmt gas in thv ihnmhtl' in whii'h thin 55:15 is i-iuhil hnfoiv passing' to the rytinfhi'.

In thv iwi-imipunyhig iii-zitting Figurv t is :i pni't wvtiiz-nni uhix'ntiim saint]- whzit itiiigjaiminmtimitiy :lrireliimi :mit shawing :i minstrlu'tinii int' t-mizimiimt intm'niit ifuxrihlistimi cugina with tie.- wwwnt inwintimi :ipptihd thvi'ito in im tisi'm.

Fig. 2 is :i wftimmt vim'ntimi itis-magix the inw pi'vssili't Qvtimlm' ut" ai similmmight@ hut H'heiwing :i nmftitimt 11121D1191' nt :ippiying thv iiivvntifm thereto.

hihi' httvi'h indicati ihv parts thimighuut thiihuwinfg Patented Mm'. 4, 1919.

Serial No. lf.

im@ t'iiiiv nt' f wh ht tht' pihtuns in the high .Xt :t iiritnhh point in thi hng'th of tht` watt ht' tht` hrw 1in-shim cylinder B H uiiim! mit mi num pui l the positiv" nt' thtwimi-tia hvinp' f0ii\'inivntty slii'h th.`V thiy wiil tw iiiii'mvl'iii whim tim pist'fm D haw herten-limi from halt' tu two-thirds 0i its mil'stimkef. Thi` pui-t1` I hzut into :l cooling (-hnnilwiwhivh is rnnviiiioiitly constructed :is huwn :mit comprises :i smivs 0i" tuin-s I( thimigh whif'h thi gzisvs miti paws from the v iiimim l, thm? tishis living unl'riml :it their Pmi in tiihif phitw'a K, :mit suri'mimhrt hy :e using K2 su :u'i'aingmi that wntm' i-:lu i-iii-iihitti through it niiet around und m'vr the pipvs, K. t thu Plitt ot this noting de- Yimnppmitv tu that into which thi hurts B wiwi: thhiv i"4 itiicisvd :1 nun-return vulve wh'wtK mfimi, poi-t L hunting hlm :i pipa L Y' `riminiimltvs. with thv cooling inhw Y i s1 lfv mitm! that whilv thu pimms C in the cylinders A and A operate on the four-stroke cycle the piston D in the cylinder B operates on the two-stroke cycle. Thus each outstroke of the piston D is performed under the action of the expanding products of combustion which have passed into the cylinder B, either from the cylin- `der A or the cylinder A alternately. At 0r toward the end of the outstroke of the piston D these products of combustion are permitted to escape to the atmosphere owing` to the lifting of the exhaust valve M. When, however, the piston D has performed such art of its outstroke as to uncover the ports some of the products of combustion pass under pressure through these ports into the cooling chamber formed by the pipes K and thence through the ports L past the nonreturn valve into the ipe L' and so into the cooling` chamber ur. In this chamber these products of combustion mingle with the compressed air contained therein and this mixture of cooled and compressed nir and products ot combustion subsequently passes into the cylinders A and A to term part of the main charges therein. lWhcn the pressure in the cylinder B and in the cooling device K falls below that which exists in the cooling chamber G the valve between the chambers K and G closes and as the pressure continues to fall in the cylinder l there will be a tendency for the cooled products of combustion contained in thc pipes K to flow back into the cylinder and pass away through the exhaust port when the valve M is lifted. The pressure in the cooling chamber K will thus have i'allen to such an cxtcni that there will be n-o tendency lor the rcsidual products of combustion in tbc pipes to pass into the cylinder B on the pump side of the piston D when the latter is inalting its instroke and has uncovered the ports B on the pump side of the piston. The pump end of the cylinder B is then filled with air which has been drawn in by the pump action of the instroke of the piston l`). Yet, further, as the piston D on its out- Stroke compresses this air there will. in effect, be no tendency for this air to pass through the cooling chamber K owing to the fact that the pressure in the pump end of the cylinder l will not have risen sntliciently to lift the non-return valve controlling the ports l; before the ports B are covered by the Vpiston on its outstrokel In other words up to the time that the ports B are covered and communication between the pump side of thc piston l) and the cooling device K is shut on" the ,pressure in the pump end of the cylinder B will tend to be lower than that nl'iich exists in thc cooling device G.

The non-rcturu or ynissages L is leaf type which wwilliugjfilie ports .17 IV u' Hiring- Sie used without risk of it being burnt out since the products of combustion are subjected to a preliminary cooling as they pass through the pipes K and before they reach this valve.

In the alternative arrangement illustrated in Fig. Q in place ot' the ports B in the length of the wall of the cylinder ll a port B2 is formed in the head of the cylinder and controlled by a valve N suitably operated. From this port B2 runs a passage or pipe which leads to the'ends ot' the group of cooling tubes K. In this cast` where thc products of combustion pass through a valve controlled port, this port need not necessarily be formed in the low pressure cylinder but may be in one or both of the high pressure cylinders as may be found most convenient. lf the valve N controlling this port is opened after the valve controlling the passage between the high pressure cylinder and the low pressure cylinder has been lifted the gas pressure in these two cylinders is equal and hence it is immaterial from which cylinder the gases are drawn to pass to the cooling chamber. lith this construction the passage of thc. products of combustion from the cylinder B into a cooling device K can bc accurately timed to take place at such a point in the outstroke of tbc piston D as may be desirable. (hving to the provision of the valve N it is not necessary in this construction to provide a non-return valve at the other end ot the cooling tubes K where they lead into the pipe L.

lb-at l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent iszl. ln a compound internal combustion engine the combination of two high pressure cylinders, a lovv pressure cylinder. means for conveying a portion of the products o'l' combustion from the low pressure cylinder to cach high pressure cyliinler in turn wherein these gases form part of the main charge, and means for cooling these products of combustion at'ter they leavt` the low pressure cylinder and bctorc they enter a high pressure cylinder as srt forth.

Q, ln a compound internal combustion engine tbc combination of tivo high pressure cylinders, means for delivering gases under pressure lo these cylinders. a low pressure cylinder. :ncans for conveying part of the products ot combustion from thc low pressure cylinder to each high pressure cylinder in turn .vhcrcin these gases form part of the main charge` and means for cooling there products o'l coznlulslion at'tcr they leave the lmvprcssurc cylinder and bct'ore they enter a high pressure cylinder as set forth.

2l. ln n compound intcrnal combustion engine thc combination ol' :wo high `pressure ovlilulors. moans for compri-seing the guscS constituliug tbc onlin charges bcliorc these gases :irc arlluillcii lo thc high prcs |iro cylinders wherein these piece undergo further and the main cooled chamber. a non-return valve in this passage, and means for conveying the compressed and cooled gases from the lnain cooled chamber to the high pressure cylinders wherein these gases form a vpart of" the main charge as set forth.

11. In a coml `mnd internal combustion engine the combination of two high pressur, cylinders, a valve controlled inlet port in the head ot' each high pressure cylinder, means for imparting preliminary compression to the gases which are to constitute the main charges in the high pressure cylinders, means for delivering a lesser proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression directly to the high pressure cylinders, a cooled chamber into which pass the larger proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression, a low pressure cylinder, a cooled chamber in such communication with the low pressure cylinder that products of combustion can pass from the low pressure cylinder into this chamber wherein these gases receive prelimilrary cooling, a communicating passage between this preliminary cooling chamber and the main cooled chamber, and means for conveying the compressed and cooled gases from the main cooled cham'ber to the valve-controlled inlet ports in the high pressure cylinders wherein these gases form a part of the main charge as set forth.

12. In a Compound internal combustion engine the combination of two high pressure cylinders, a valve-controlled inlet port in the head of each high pressure cylinder. lneans for imparting preliminary compression to the gases which are to constitute the main charges in the high pressure cylinders, means for delivering a `lesser proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression directly to the high pressure cylinders, a cooled chamber into which pass the larger proportion of these gases after such prelimi-A nary compression, a low pressure cylinder, a cooled chamber in such communication with the low pressure cylinder thatr products of colnzbustion can pass from the. low pressure cylinder into this chamber wherein these gases receive preliminary cooling, a communicating passage between this ineliminary cooling chamber and the main cooled chamber, a, non-return valve in this passage, and means for conveying the compressed and cooled gases from the main cooled chamber to the valve-controlled inlet ports in the high pressure c vlinders wherein these gases form a part of thc main charge as set. forth.

13. In a compound internal combustion engine the combination ot' two high pressure cylinders, means for imparting preliminary compression to the gases which are to conlstitute the main charges in the high pressure cylinders. means for delivering a lesser proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression directly to the high pressure cylinders, a cooled chamber into which pass the. larger proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression, a low pressure cylinder, a piston in this cylinder, ports in the wall of this low pressure cylinder positioned where they will be uncovered by thef" piston after it, has performed one half of its outstroke. a cooled chamber in such communication with the piston controlled ports in the wall ofl the low pressure cylinder that products of combustion can pass from this cylinder into this chamber wherein these gases receive preliminary cooling, a communicating passage between this preliminary cooling chamber and the main cooled chamber, a non-return valve in this passage. and means for conveying the compressed and cooled gases from the main cooled chamber to the high pressure cylinders wherein these gases form a part. of the main charge as set. forth. i

14. In a' compound internal combustion engine the combination of two high pressure cylinders, a valve-controlled port in the head' of each high pressure cylinder, means for imparting preliminary compression to the gases which are to constitute the main charges in the high pressure cylinders, means for delivering a lesser proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression directly to the high pressure cylinders, a cooled chamber into which pass the larger proportion of these gases after such preliminary compression, a low pressure cylinder. a piston in this cylinder` ports in the wall of the low pressure cylinder positioned where they will be uncovered by the piston after it has performed one half of its outstroke. a cooled chamber in such communication with the piston controlled ports in the all of the low pressure cylinder that products of combustion can pass from this cylinder into this chamber wherein these gases receive preliminary cooling, a communicating passage between this preliminary cooling chamber and the main cooled chamber, a non-return valve in this passage. and means for conveying the compressed and cooled gases from the main cooled chamber to the valve-controlled inlet ports in the high pressure cylinders wherein these gases form a part of the main charge as set forth.

15. In a compound internal combustion engine the combination of lu'o high pressure cylinders each formed with a pump chamber at. one end. a valve-conirolled port. in the head of each high pressure cylinder, a differential isnn in carb lnigh pressure cylinder operai .se to compre-s` gaseous charges in the pump chamber end of that cylinder, means foi conveying successive gaseous chargesI from these pump chambers to the combustion chambers ot' the high pressure cylinders wherein these charges torni part or the main charges and as such are further compressed in these cylinders, a 10W pressure cylinder formed with n pump chamber at one end thereof, a differential piston in this low pressure cylinder operative to compress gaseous charges in the pump chamber end of this cylinder, ports in the wall of the 10W pressure Cylinder ositioned where they will be uncovered by th formed one half of its outstroke, a. cooled chamber into which ess the com ressed gaseous charges from t e ump cham r end of the low pressure cylin er, a cooled chamber in such commumcation with the piston controlled rts in the wall of the low pressure cylin er that products of combustion can pass from this cylinder into this chame piston after it; has per compresse and cooled gases from the main cooled chamber bo the valve-controlled inlet ports in the high pressure cylinderswherein these gases form a as set fortln In testimony whereof I have Signed my name to this specification in the presence of' two subscribin witn: i HA RY RALPH RICARDO. Witnesses: A

E. CAsrnn, R. BAoGo'r'r.

part of the main chargeI 

